San Rafael's Canal celebrates 25th anniversary of its Day of the Dead

For Ann Bauer and Jerie Gilbert, San Rafael's 25th Anniversary Day of the Dead was more than a grand community celebration. As hundreds of celebrants streamed into the Albert J. Boro Community Center for Saturday's festivities, a major event in the mostly Hispanic neighborhood, the two women were among the families who stood by the altars they had spent the morning and afternoon building in the center's gym to honor departed loved ones.

For Bauer, who lives in San Rafael, it was a chance to remember her brother, Nicasio handyman Tom Maurer, who died of cancer in 2010 at age 54. She decorated his altar with a smiling color photo of him in a Giants cap and surrounded it with memorabilia from local sports teams, a Snickers bar, other fun things he loved.

"He had sparkling blue eyes, loved science fiction movies and the Giants," she said, holding back tears. "He got to see his Giants become champions. He died the day after the parade."

Gilbert used the occasion to remember her two sons, Lane Gilbert, 46, and Reid Gilbert, 51. Lane, a stained glass artist, was murdered in 2010 in Mexico, where he lived. Reid died last December of a heart attack after settling his brother's affairs.

Their altar was decorated with photos of them at different times in their lives. They both loved bagels with lox, so their mother put a couple of those on the altar among other items that were meaningful to them.

"It's been really difficult for me," she said. "But ritual is very important for me. Making an altar to both of my sons has brought me in touch with them. I felt their presence."

Steve Mason of the Canal Welcoming Center, the main organizer of San Rafael's Dia de los Muertos, said the altars are the soul of the celebration, but the day was also marked by performances and activities in celebration of a Mexican holiday that has spread to other South and Central American countries as well.

"This is part of my heritage, too," said Carlos Garcia-Bedoya, who is from Peru. "Hispanic is Hispanic."

Some 2,000 people were expected to attend the 25th anniversary celebration, which began at 4 in the afternoon and continued well into the evening.

"Every year we get more and more people," Mason said.

This year, organizers added a raised stage for music groups, including the community center's Enriching Lives Through Music youth ensemble, and, from San Francisco, the first all-woman Mariachi band in the Bay Area.

At 6 p.m., elaborately costumed Aztec dancers led community members in the traditional Day of the Dead procession through the Canal neighborhood.

The Pan Rafael steel drum band, a group formed at the community center, hammered out Caribbean and Calypso tunes in the lobby. One room was devoted to children's crafts and face painting. New murals by an artist from the Welcoming Center were unveiled. And traditional fare, such as Salvadoran papusas and Mexican tamales, were for sale at an outdoor food court.

"Every year this event is delightful, soulful, we love it," said Louise Yost, a Canal resident. "What it provides is community spirit and community inspiration. This what the Canal is all about."